pennyspoetryfandomcom-20200214-history
Josiah Holland
Josiah Gilbert Holland (July 24, 1819 - October 12, 1881) was an American poet and novelist, who also wrote under the pseudonym Timothy Titcomb.[http://www.authorandbookinfo.com/cgi-bin/auth.pl?H005402 Author and Book Info .com] Life Overview Holland, born in Massachusetts, helped to found and edit Scribner's Monthly (afterwards the Century Magazine), in which appeared his novels, Arthur Bonnicastle, The Story of Sevenoaks, Nicholas Minturn. In poetry he wrote Bitter Sweet ''(1858), ''Kathrina, etc.John William Cousin, "Holland, Josiah Gilbert," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature, 1910, 195. Web, Jan. 27, 2018. Youth and education Born in Belchertown, Massachusetts, Holland grew up in a poor family struggling to make ends meet. After a time, Josiah was forced to work in a factory to help the family. He then spent a short time studying at Northampton (Massachusetts) High School before withdrawing due to ill health. Later he studied medicine at Berkshire Medical College, where he took a degree in 1844. Career Hoping to become a successful physician, he began a medical practice with classmate Dr. Bailey in Springfield, Massachusetts. While trying to establish the practice, he wrote for periodicals such as Knickerbocker Magazine and even tried to make a go publishing a newspaper, The Bay State Weekly Courier but this attempt proved unsuccessful, as did his medical practice. In 1845 he married Elizabeth Luna Chapin. After giving up medicine in 1848, he left western Massachusetts and took a teaching position in Richmond, Virginia, followed by one in 1849 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. In 1850 Holland returned to western Massachusetts and became an editor of the Springfield Republican newspaper, working with the well known editor, Samuel Bowles. Many of the essays he wrote for the paper in the decade before the Civil War were collected and published in book form, which helped established his literary reputation. His earlies book was a History of Western Massachusetts. He followed in 1857 with an historical novel, Bay Path, and a collection of essays entitled Titcomb's Letters to Young People, Single and Married in 1858. In 1862, when Samuel Bowles took an extended trip to Europe, Holland temporarily assumed the duties as editor-in-chief of the Springfield Republican. After the Civil War he reduced his editorial duties and wrote many of his most popular works, including the Life of Abraham Lincoln (1866), and Katrina (1868). Holland and his wife were frequent correspondents and family friends of poet Emily Dickinson. In 1868 Holland traveled to Europe, and while there he met Roswell Smith. Together they developed the idea of starting a magazine. When they returned to the United States in 1869, the two men collaborated with Charles Scribner to publish ''Scribner's Monthly''. The 1st issue was published in 1870 with Holland as editor. These years in New York were also productive for his own literary efforts. During the 1870s he published 3 novels: Arthur Bonicastle (1873), Sevenoaks (1875), and Nicholas Minturn (1877). His poetry volumes included The Marble Faun (1872), The Mistress and the Manse (1874), and The Puritan's Guest (1881). Holland died at the age of 62, in New York City. Holland is buried in Springfield Cemetery in Springfield, Massachusetts. Writing Although his literary products are rarely read today, during the late 19th century they were enormously popular, and more than 500,000 volumes of Holland's writings were sold. He is also remembered today for his contributions as an editor. Recognition His gravestone includes a bas-relief portrait sculpted by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, with the Latin inscription "Et vitam impendere vero" meaning "to devote life to truth". Publications Poetry *''The Mistress of the Manse''. New York: Scribner, Armstrong, 1840. *''Bitter Sweet . New York: Scribner, 1863. *''Kathrina. Springfield, MA: F.S. Fuller, 14th edition, New York: Scribner, 1867. *''The Marble Prophcy, and other poems''. New York: Scribner, Armstrong, 1872. *''Garnered Sheaves: Complete poetical works''. New York: Scribner, Armstrong, 1878. The Puritan Quest, and other poems. New York: Scribner, 1885. Novels *''Bay Path: A tale of New England colonial life''. New York: Scribner, 1857. *''The Heroes of Crampton''. London: 1867. *''Arthur Bonnicastle: An American story'' (illustrated by Mary Hallock). New York: Scribner, 1873; London: Routledge, 1873. *''Sevenoaks: A story of today''. New York: Scribner, Armstrong, 1875. *''Nicholas Minturn: A study in a story''. New York: Scribner, Armstrong, 1877. Non-fiction *''History of Western Massachusetts''. Springfield, MA: Samuel Bowles, 1855. *''Titcomb's Letters to Young People, Single and Married''. 4th edition, New York: Scribner, 1858; London: Ward, Lock, & Taylor, 1870; 50th edition, New York: Scribner, 1890. Collected editions *''Works''. New York, 1881. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Josiah Gilbert Holland, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Jan. 29, 2018. See also *List of U.S. poets References External links ;Poems *Josiah Gilbert Holland at Poets' Corner (3 poems) *Josiah Gilbert Holland at PoemHunter (13 poems) ;Books * ;Etc. * Holland Collection of Literary Letters, University of Colorado Boulder Category:19th-century American novelists Category:American male novelists Category:American magazine editors Category:Writers from Massachusetts Category:1819 births Category:1881 deaths Category:East Texas Baptist University alumni Category:Massachusetts Republicans Category:American male poets Category:19th-century American poets Category:19th-century American journalists Category:Death in New York City Category:19th-century poets Category:American poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets